Sambalpur: The overall health services in rural areas of western Odisha are not up to expectation owing to the absence of a comprehensive rural health policy. On the other hand, urban health services are somewhat better as a result of the recently-introduced health schemes in the government hospitals in the region. However, these benefits do not percolate to the grassroots level.
There is a spurt in the number of rural patients suffering from cancer, tuberculosis, fluorosis, critical skin infections and breathing problems due to the increasing levels of pollutions in almost all spheres of life these days. Earlier, ailments among rural patients were confined to common cold, cough, fever, upset bladder, general skin infections and pregnancy-related problems.
As per a study undertaken by DFID, 90.6 per cent of rural people and 81.0 per cent of urban population depend on government hospitals for their health care needs in Odisha. It has been found that public sector health care facilities are relatively better in the urban pockets even though more rural people depend on government hospital for their health care needs.
The primary health centres (PHC) of the state government in rural pockets are mostly in poor conditions. Most of them either lack doctors or pharmacists. There are some health centres in the remote rural pockets where both doctors and pharmacists are not available. Amazingly, these centres are run by the Class IV employees.
Rural folk are also deprived of the improvised private health care services available in urban locations. As a result, government hospitals are the only hope for them, if at all they are spared from the clutches of quacks that prevail in almost all villages.
There used to be a research centre on sickle cell anemia at Veer Surendra Sai Institute of Medical Science and Research (VIMSAR) as it has been found that the ailment prevails among some identified communities in some districts of western Odisha. Moreover, VIMSAR is the only referral hospital in the entire region.
It is unfortunate that the research centre was shifted to Bhubaneswar allegedly for a political reason and without any justification. Such a decision has only helped to widen the regional imbalance promoting large-scale resentment against the state government.
Curative as well as preventive measures are yet to be exercised effectively even though bone deformities is a persisting ailment in the region due to excessive presence of fluorides in underground water found in Kalahandi, Nuapada and some adjoining villages in Bargarh district.
Sinking of tube-well is less expensive than organising surface water resources to provide potable water in the remote rural pockets. But none cared to check the quality of the underground water before undertaking such an exercise. Consequently, some of the tube-wells in the region have already been declared abandoned.
Providing surface water could be an effective alternative measure to prevent the further spread of fluoride-related problems through drinking water, but there is hardly any initiative for it. Thus, those rural people are destined to suffer silently in negligence.
It is claimed that leprosy has been totally eliminated from Odisha, but leprosy patients are still found in some districts of western Odisha. If this sounds incredible, a visit to Sambalpur on any Saturday will reveal several leper groups begging for alms from door to door. There is no sustained rehabilitation programme for such people despite tall claims.
Iodine deficiency is another health problem in the region. A joint venture of World health organization (WHO), UNICEF and ICCIDD in Bargarh district from 1996 to 1999 undertook a study among primary school students to identify cases of iodine deficiency.
It was found that 3,621 out of 3,988 primary school students, roughly 90.8 per cent, suffered from iodine deficiency. This condition leads to malfunctioning of the thyroid gland and thyroid is known as lifestyle ailment that is hardly curable. Similar situations prevail in other districts of the region too.